Sudan’s NISS accuses Al-Jazeera TV of promoting certain agenda

(KHARTOUM) - Sudan has denounced the Qatari flagship television channel Al-Jazeera for broadcasting a report about a recent meeting between the head of Sudanese intelligence service with his Israeli and accused it of promoting a certain agenda.

Al-Jazeera TV, on Friday, broadcasted a report about a meeting between Salah Gosh the Director of National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and the Director of Israeli Mossad Yossi Meir Cohen on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference held between 15-17 February.

The report which was initially published by the Middle East Eye (MEE), an independent news outlet based in London, claims that the meeting which aimed at discussing, al-Bashir succession plan, was arranged by Egyptian intermediaries with the backing of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

It further underscored that the meeting took place without the knowledge of the embattled President al-Bashir who is facing over -two-month popular protests calling for a regime change in Sudan.

"The Agency confirms that the news was inaccurate, lacks professionalism and objectivity and does not serve the journalistic ethical standards claimed by the channel," said the NISS in a statement released on Friday.

The statement underscored that the satellite channel had to investigate the accuracy of the report knowing the "firm position of the Sudanese government and people on the Zionist entity" and its support for the Palestinian cause.

The Sudanese intelligence agency further accused the Qatari media of "continuing to serve an agenda that it works for" and involving sister countries and its leaders in the framework of ongoing Marathon conflict, said the statement without further details.

Following the eruption of protests in Sudan, a number of Al-Jazeera journalists voiced, through Twitter, their support to the Sudanese uprising against al-Bashir but officially the satellite channel which promoted the Arab Spring continued to cover Sudan's news with much of precautions.

But despite this conservative editorial line towards Sudan, the NISS banned two of its reporters on the background of their coverage of the protests. However, its big office in Khartoum continues to work.

The NISS seemingly issued the statement mainly to react to the Al-Jazeera's report because it focused on Gosh as preparing himself to succeed to al-Bashir.

"Such repeated leaks will not succeed in dividing the leadership line in our country or discourage it from performing its national duties," emphasized the statement.

Recently there were several reports presenting Gosh as the ally of Washington, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE and that he may replace al-Bashir.

Before to be reinstated as Sudan's chief spy last year, Gosh said Sudan has no interest to back or to stand by the ting Gulf monarchy of Qatar in its dispute with Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Last January, President al-Bashir travelled to Qatar hoping to get some financial support allowing him to face the economic needs of his country and to suppress the protests but he returned empty-handed.

Following al-Bashir visit to Doha, Qatar-backed International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) supporting the Sudanese Scholars Association who called al-Bashir to reign in order to preserve the Islamic regime in Sudan.

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The “Sudan News Gazette”, has been designed to publish news from all the sectors and that shows its attribute of catering to the interest of various kinds of readers, which has also helped it to mark its existence among the African region’s top news website.